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Danish retailer JYSK planning to open up to 15 Irish stores

Danish homeware retailer and Ikea rival JYSK is set to make its Irish debut soon and has scouted 20 locations across the Republic as potential future locations for its planned Irish rollout.

The Nordic retailer announced today it will set up a head office in Dublin followed by the first official Irish store opening in April. The retailer’s first store Irish store will be located in Naas, Co. Kildare and the brand will start selling online and offer home delivery to Irish customers from 15 April. The retail brand, which sells homewares products like mattresses and living room furniture, will open two further locations in Drogheda and Navan during the month of May. A fourth branch in Portlaoise is scheduled to open by the end of summer. In total, JYSK – which is pronounced “yusk” – aims to open 15 stores across the Republic.

The new branches are set to feature a refreshed store concept launched by the brand last year, which includes a newly designed storefront and refreshed interiors. While there are no details currently on further planned locations. Ireland country manager Roni Tuominen told Fora the retailer is looking at locations that can deliver the highest footfall: “We are aiming to be close to the customer. Our target is to be where the customers are.”

JYSK will be joining Scandinavian rivals already well-established in the Irish market, Ikea and Søstrene Grene, which also sell affordable homewares products. Tuominen said “We’re working in 51 countries, so of course these companies are well-known for us. I think for the customers, competition is good and actually creates value,” he said. Jennifer Johnston, who is sales and marketing manager of JYSK Ireland, told Fora the retailer differentiates itself by rolling out new products on a more regular basis to cater for changing design trends. “One thing that we are very strong on is Scandinavian designed products. We are very good at launching new products regularly,” she said.

The 40-year-old brand, which is pronounced “yusk”, operates some 2,700 stores across 51 countries. It employs over 23,000 people around the world and reported sales of €3.5 billion last year.